I am very proud of my Member of Parliament, Anthony Housefather, for speaking out loudly on Israel as well as on vital issues of interest to the English-speaking community. While the Liberal Party of Canada and our Prime Minister are less and less reliable defenders of the rights of English-speaking Quebecers and the interests of Canadian Jews and have not been clear enough and unequivocal in supporting the Jewish community of Canada nor its ally, Israel, Anthony, without a doubt, is increasingly so. He has always been our defender and Israel’s supporter.

Anthony says what he believes and always tries to do the right thing, not necessarily the popular position within the party.

I salute Anthony and thank him for speaking loudly and proudly. He has articulated his position and has garnered much national media attention over the last few months. These cannot be easy days for him but he should know that while he supports his constituents he has our appreciation and respect.

Below is a recent CBC Radio podcast interview with Anthony that is most interesting as well as an op-ed that appeared in the National Post. If you appreciate what he had to say, as I do, I hope you’ll take the time to let him know.

Mendicino and Housefather: Canada must categorically reject claim of genocide against Israel

Marco Mendicino and Anthony Housefather, Special to National Post

Published Jan 19, 2024 

On an allegation as grave and serious as genocide, Canadians deserve to know, clearly and unambiguously, where their federal government stands.

However, in the South African case before the International Court of Justice where it  alleges that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza, Canada has thus far chosen to remain on the sidelines. Instead, various statements — some confusing and contradictory — have been made regarding the government’s position on a subject where the answer is straightforward.

Canada should categorically reject the claim of genocide against Israel. Why? Because it’s the right thing to do.

The charge of genocide against Israel is itself a perversion of justice. In the first place, the reason the international community was driven to create the United Nations Genocide Convention is because six million Jews were murdered during the Holocaust. If there is any nation state that understands the devastating consequences of this most heinous crime on its people, it is Israel.

Under the terms of this convention, genocide requires specific intent. The gross irony in South Africa’s case is that there is indeed overwhelming evidence of intent, except it is on the part of Hamas in its relentless pursuit to obliterate the Jewish people.

Yet, South Africa turns a blind eye to the mountain of proof that overshadows its claim. It glosses over Hamas’s terrorist attack and killing of 1200 people on Oct. 7. It diminishes Hamas’s deliberate use of innocent civilians, hospitals, and refugee camps as shields for its military operations. And it fails to appreciate the depth of irreparable harm caused by the appalling sexual violence Hamas inflicted on women and children.

How can South Africa ignore this evidence, including Hamas’s brazen threats to continue to carry out genocide, while at the same time placing no weight on Israel’s responsibility to protect its people and bona fide efforts to minimize civilian losses in Gaza?

The answer lies in understanding that South Africa’s skewed telling of the conflict is part of a pattern of systemic bias within the international community that demonizes Israel and eschews any accountability for the atrocities committed by Hamas.

As former Attorney General of Canada Irwin Cotler correctly put it in the Post: “These proceedings turn fact and law on their head, inverting reality and effectively undermining international justice and the rules-based international order.”

None of this is to say that we are not concerned with the humanitarian toll in Gaza. The ongoing loss of life demands accountability and justice. Retired Supreme Court judge Rosalie Abella spoke to this compellingly when she argued that Israel’s Supreme Court will no doubt be called on to examine the military’s response, including the steps that it has taken to mitigate the pernicious threat posed by Hamas, whose toxic ideology is used to justify rape, torture, and martyrdom.

Meanwhile, we do not need to wait for the ICJ to conclude that it is Hamas who deploys these abhorrent tactics, not Israel. It is Hamas who is recognized as a terrorist entity under Canadian law, not Israel. And it is Hamas whose specific intent is to carry out genocide, not Israel.

Our G7 allies in the U.S., U.K., Germany, Italy and France have come off the sidelines and taken a position that Israel is not committing genocide.

It is time for the federal government to do the same and unequivocally state Canada’s opposition to South Africa’s claim. Canadians deserve no less.

Marco Mendicino is the Member of Parliament for Eglinton Lawrence. Anthony Housefather is the Member of Parliament for Mount Royal.